Cow-milking machine.



A. V. & R. L. HINMAN.

COW MILKING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 26,1912.

Patented May 26, 1.914.

)WTED ermine ARTHURIV. nrrnunn AND RALPH L. HINMAN, or olvnrna,

OOW-MILKING MACHIZNE.

.vente'd certain new and useful Improvements in Cow-Milking Machines; and we declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention.

This invention relates tov improvements in vacuum cow-milking machines of the valved milk chamber type, its object being to improve and simplify their construction and to provide an exceedingly simple, readily operated, easily cleaned, noiseless and highly eiiicient apparatusof that class for milking one cow, or, a number of cows simultaneously.

At present in machines of this type there is no way of automatically controlling the vacuum, so that with each pulsation of'the piston of the air pump the entire contents of the milk chamber are emptied; and, there is no way to prevent the milk from entering at some point the center of the milk chamber during the milking stroke of the pump; and no way of preventing a portion of the milk being drawn from the milk chamber into the flexible tube connected with the pump, and even into the pump itself.

Our invention is mainly designed to overcome these defects by providing an improved and simpler apparatus and accessories.

Our invention is a development and improvement of the invention described in the specification of our prior Patent No. 907236 Serial No. 410608 granted December 22, 1908.

More especially the invention resides in the provision of a cow-milking apparatus, in which the hose leading from the suction pump is connected by means of a nipple to a milk chamber capable of being closed air tight, and opened by an automatic valve at its lower end, which valve is closed by gravity and atmospheric pressure during the out stroke of the pump piston, and, Which is opened during the in stroke of the pump piston by the weight and pressure of the milk against it as it is discharged from the milk chamber, the milk having previously been drawn thereinto upon the 0ut, stroke of said pump piston; thus permitting the apparatus to be attached tothe hover, and used in connection with, any receptacle of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July as, .912.

Patented .2

Serial 1310. 71.13%.

ordinary construction, without. the nece. sity of providing a special air tight covering for the same.

The milk chambermay consist of two parts, a head or perpendicular part, and a body or curved part, easily joined together so as to form a unitary chamber, and easily separated for the purpose of cleaning. The body of the milk chamber-may consist of two or more curved tubular parts, with a common upper part capable of being at-- tached to the lower part of the head, and with two or more lower openings closed by automatic valves, instead of consisting of one curved part with one valve, the several valves being opened by the pressure and weight of the out-flowing milk, and closed by their own weight and by atmospheric pressure.

These, and various other features which constitute the special matterof the invention, will be readily understood from consideration of the following detailed descrip tion; the preferred embodiment of the in yentio-n being illustrated in the accompanymg drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated by the same reference letters in the several views.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the two-part milk receiving chamber. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 except the head and body are not joined,-and showing the automatic valve of the body opened. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the head of the milk chamber and vertical and horizontal nipples. Fig. & is a vertical section of the curved body of the milk chamber and'the vertical head, with mil: flowing into the chamber through the horizontal nipple, with automatic valve-closed. Fig. 5 is a similar view with mill: flowing out of lower end of the milk chamber. Fig. 6 is a vertical view of the head and nipples, and the body composed of two elbo r curved parts with two openings and valves.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A represents a curved elbow shaped milk chamber consisting of two parts, a

detachable head B, and a curved body C.

.the top'of the head a sufficient distance, so

that its lower end is on a line with the lower edge of the head; E is a horizontal nipple, or tube, attached to and opening into the head B on a tangent with its circumference, to which can be attached a hose connected with the teat cups E does not extend into the headB beyond its interior-circular surface, so that the opening of E into the head is oblong, represented by O, and is between the top of said head B and its lower edge. The head B is formed of-two parts, a tubular section -a preferably externally threaded at its upper end, and a cap or cover -b having a depending internally threaded circumferential flange for receiving the threaded end of the art -a-.

0 represents the curved body of the milk chamber with its upper end fitted to engage with the lower end of B, thus uniting the inside surfaces of B and C, so as to form a continuous smooth interior surface. C is curved like an elbow, so that its upper part is vertical and its lower part nearly hori-, z'ontal; the edge of the lower part of the openin of C extends beyond the upper edge thereo so that the opening of the lower end of C, represented by W, is oblong, and is at an obtuse angle with the plane of the top of head B.

F represents a removable, revolving disk, or valve, ground to fit the lower opening C and is attached at H tothe upper outer edge of the lower part of C by a removable arm T so it can be easily removed, and, so that it readily closes the lower end of C by its own weight.

Capital fetter T represents a removable arm hung between lugs attached to the upper part of C near the edge of the opening W by a pin P passing through openings in the lugs and an opening in the upper part of arm T. N represents ascrew pin passing through an opening in the lower end of T and screwed into a boss in the center and on the outside of disk F.

X represents a nut which retains the arm in place upon the screw pin or stud N, the opening through which the screw pin passes being large enough to allow the screw pin to move freely therein and to revolve with the disk F M represents milk flowing into and out 55' of the milk chamber.

S represents the smooth, concave, circular milk 'spreading surface formed by the interior surfaces of the head B and body 0.

The operation of the device is as follows.:-When the air pump commences to exhaust the air through the nipple D from head B, and curved body C of the milk chamber, the valve F rests against the edge of the opening at the lower end of C, and by its own weight, and the pressure of air on its outer surface, closes the opening air tight'and the milk M is drawn through the nipple E, and its oblong opening 0, onto the smooth, concave, circular milk spreading surface S, formed by the inner curved surface of head B, and is thereby caused to spread upon and cling to sg and to flow in a circular and downward direction on S, instead of flowing into the center of head B and body G of the milk chamber A; and. thereby leaves an open space in the center of head B and body C filled with air, so that the air continues to be drawn from head B and body 0 through the lower end of nipple D until the end of the out stroke of the pump piston. At the return stroke of the piston, the weightof-the milk, M, in

body 0, opens valve F automatically and the milk flows out of opening-W into the re While the last of ceptacle provided for it. the milk is flowing from oblong opening W, there not being enough milk at that timein C to completely fill W, a small opening is left at the top of opening W, and valve F, and, when the stroke of the piston is again started to exhaust the air from the body C and head B of the milk chamber A the opening W, of body C, is not completely closed at its upper part, while the lower partof the opening W is still kept partially closed by the out flowing milk; as the exhaust stroke continues a short distance the milk. chamber A is almost completely emptied of the milk; and valve F by its own weight and by atmospheric pressure completely closes the opening W, and the milk from the cow again flows through nipple E into head B and body C of the milk chamber A. By reason of this action of the milk M and valve F it is impossible to flood body C and head B with milk, for, while there is milk enough in body C at the commencement of the exhaust stroke of the piston to keep the valve F from entirely closing the opening lV, air can enter G, and continues to enter while the last of the milk is flowing out, but, as soon as-there is not suf licient milk fiow ing out of W to keep F open, it closes auto matically, and, there being only a small amount of milk left in C, it is impossible for it to be drawn upward to the lower end of nipple D, and, therefore, it is impossible for milk to enter nipple D, or the tubular connection with the air pump, or the pump itself. Also when the milk is drawn into head B through nipple E it cannot touch the lower end of D because it clings to and spreads upon S, the interior surface of head B and body 0, and the force with which it enters and spreads gives it a rapid circular motion, and its own weight causes it at the same time to run'downward in a circular manner, until at the time the lower part of C is filled with milk, the exhaust stroke of the piston is ended, and the weight of the milk and pressure of the flow opens valve F foo menace 3 d hedy a) is emptied. This process is ed as long as milking continues.

iaving the-milk M enter the milk chamough the nipple E, on a tangent opening i), used as a directing orifice,

erminous with S, the'interior circular sin ace of head B, using S as a spreader iris around upon the interior sur- D and C so that none of the milk s the center of B and Q, which center led with air, and the exhaustion of the air through D is not interfered with, and it 5 is notnecessary to have any interior sleeve to protect the interior opening of D. By the use of a milk chamber curved like an elbow, and oblong opening W on an obtuse angle to the perpendicular, so that the valve 2 F can be worked by gravity,"by the out flowing milk, and by atmospheric pressure the operation of the device is rendered automatic, extremely simple and exact.

There is no wearing of the parts, the valve F is easily removed for cleaning, the head B is attached to the body 0 by av thread and screw joint so the head B is easily removed from the body 0 and both can be quickly and easily clea-ne I so It is unnecessary to make use of a special air tight receptacle in connection with this apparatus, nor is it necessary to render the vessel air tight by use of a special cover,

therefore, as the milk chamber is rendered air tight by means of its automatic valve,

and head, it can be employed with any ordinary receptacle, being supported inany manner upon the cover thereof, or otherwise, as preferred.

so We claim: F

1. In a cow milking apparatus, a milk chamber having a valveless inlet and a substantially air-tight valved outlet closed by gravity.

2. In a cow milking apparatus, a milk chamber with its upper end closed and provided vgith a perpendicular air exhaust nipple projecting into its upper end a short distance and having-an open lower end, a hori- 56' zonta'l nipple entering the milk chamber tangentially to the circumference thereof and at a. point between the upper end of" the milk chamber and lower end of the perpendicular nipple, a disk at the lower end of the milk 5 chamber connected thereto so as to move into and out of contact with the edge of the lower end of the chamber to form an air tight contact therewith, the movement of said disk being controlled by'gravity, bythe outflow of milk from the cylinder and by the exhausts of the airfrom the cylinder.

3. In a cow milking apparatus, an elbow shaped milk chamber that is air tight when closed, curved at an angle so that lts upper part being in a vertical position its lower surface at B, and through the ob- Bl- 35i, the milk spreads upon, clings from said chamber.

part is nearly horizontal, the edge of the opening at its lower end being at an angle obtuse to the plane of the top of its upper end, the, opening being oblong, the lower edge of the opening tnrtending beyond its upper edge, a disk secured adjacent to the upper part of said opening to move into and out of contact withthe edge of the same so as to forman air tight contact therewith, the movement of said disk being controlled by gravity, by the outflow of milk from the chamber and by the exhaust of air from'the chamber, the upper end of said cylinder be-' ing closed air tight by a removable cap, said cap provided with a perpendicular nipple projecting through its center a short dis-- tanoe, said cap being provided with a horizontal nipple near its upper end and enter-- ing the milk chamber tangentially to the .surfacethereof, so that the'opening of said nipple into the chamber is oblong and above the lower end of the perpendicular nipple projecting through the cap.

4. In a milking apparatus, a tubular milk chamber, an inlet entering said chamber substantially tangentially to the surface thereof, and means for discharging milk therefrom. I a

5. In'a milking apparatus, a tubular milk chamber, an inlet to said chamber adapted to discharge milk tangentially to the inner surface thereof and means for discharging milk therefrom.

6. In a milking apparatus, a tubular milk chamber, an air exhaust pipe projecting downwardly substantially centrally of said chamber, amilk inlet meeting said chamber substantially tangentially to the surface thereof, and means for discharging milk- 7 In a. milking apparatus, a tubular milk chamber, an air exhaust pipe entering said chamber, an inlet entering 'said chamber substantially tangentially to the surface thereof and above the plane of the end of the air exhaust pipe, and means for discharging milk ther efrom. 4

8. In a cow milking apparatus an elbow shaped milk chamber, curved at an angle so that its upper part being in a vertical position its lower part is nearly horizontal, the edge of the opening at its lower end being at an angle obtuse to the plane of the top of its upper end, the opening being oblong, the lower edge of the opening extending beyond its upper edge, a removable self adjusting, revolving, ground disk adapted to open and close the oblong opening, a removable arm with its upper end hung by a removable pin between two lugs fastened above the upper edge of the oblong opening, a removable screw pin passing through an opening in the lower end of the arm and into. a: boss on the center of the outside of .the

disk, nut which retains the arm in place a upon the screw pin or stud, the opening being large enough to allow the pin to move freely therein and the disk to freely revolve with the pin and nut, and the disk to be easily brought into air tight contact with the edge of the opening, the movement of said disk andarm in opening and closing the lower end of the milk chamber being controlled by gravity and by the outflow of milk from the chamber and by the exhaust of air from the chamber, by the action of the air pump.

9. In a milking apparatus, a tubular milk chamber, a substantially vertical air exhaust pipe depending within said chamber, a substantially horizontal inlet pipe entering said chamber tangentially to the surface thereof, and means for discharging milk from said chamber.

10. In a milking apparatus, a tubular milk chamber, a substantially vertical air exhaust pipe depending within said chamber, a substantially horizontal inlet pipe entering said chamber tangentially to the surface thereof, and above the plane of the end of the air exhaust pipe, and means for discharging ARTHUR V. HINMAN. RALPH L. HINMAN.

Vitnesses:

W. L.EATON, MARGARET A. REILEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

